TWO DISMISSED POLICEMEN REMANDED OVER KILLING OF UNIPORT GRADUATE

A Magistrate’s Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the remand of two police officers dismissed in connection with the shooting death of a 22-year-old University of Port Harcourt graduate, Anthony Obodo.

The officers, identified as Corporals Alfred Louis and Michael Ejekwu, were brought before the court following disciplinary action taken against them by the Rivers State Police Command over the August 27, 2026, incident. They were subsequently taken to the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre on the order of the court.

Obodo was shot dead around the Ada George Junction area of Port Harcourt. The incident triggered protests and calls from his family, friends and members of the public for accountability and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

The two officers were arraigned before Trial Chief Magistrate Helen Hardy on Thursday. However, the charges were not read to them during the proceedings, meaning that no plea was entered at that stage. Instead, the magistrate ordered that they remain in custody pending further proceedings.

Magistrate Hardy also directed that the case file be forwarded to the Chief Registrar for reassignment. The matter was adjourned until September 22, 2026, when the defendants are expected to take their pleas and the case could proceed further.

The development followed the dismissal of the officers from the Nigeria Police Force after an internal process over their alleged involvement in the killing. Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, had earlier announced that three officers connected to the incident had been dismissed.

According to the police account reported before the court proceedings, the patrol team had pursued Obodo’s vehicle before Corporal Louis allegedly opened fire. The bullet reportedly struck Obodo, who was driving the vehicle, resulting in his death.

Two other officers have also been linked to the case. They are Fabian Kpeanabari and Assistant Superintendent of Police Solomon Nwogu. While Kpeanabari was among the officers previously dismissed, Nwogu was not brought before the court alongside Louis and Ejekwu. Police said Nwogu was still at large.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, Dr Chinedu Maduba, expressed concern that only two officers appeared before the court despite three officers reportedly being in custody. He subsequently contacted Commissioner Adepoju to seek clarification on why the senior officer was absent from the proceedings.

Maduba said the police commissioner explained that Nwogu, being an Assistant Superintendent of Police, required ratification of his dismissal by the Police Service Commission before he could be taken to court. According to the NBA chairman, Adepoju assured him that the process would be expedited, potentially within a week instead of the usual two to three months.

The NBA branch chairman said the legal community would continue monitoring the matter to ensure that justice was served. He stressed that while the circumstances surrounding Obodo’s death demanded accountability, the accused officers were also entitled to a fair hearing and should have their guilt established through due process.

The police commissioner had earlier stated that the fourth officer allegedly connected to the incident and said to have absconded would face the same disciplinary consequences as the others. The officer was reportedly declared a deserter.

The case has consequently moved into the judicial phase after the police disciplinary action. The September 22 proceedings are expected to provide a clearer picture of the charges against the two officers and determine the next stage of the case.

Until the court reaches a determination, the officers remain presumed innocent, and the allegations against them must be established through evidence presented during the judicial process.